STEPS – A journey to the edge of climate change – Full Movie

In the winter of 2012/13, RIDE GREENER and Coupdoeil Film dared to take the step of making the impossible become possible: they produced the first climate friendly snowboard and ski film. In STEPS, the effects of climate change are shown in parallel with the allure of winter sports. The film pursues the question of whether or not snowboarding and skiing in today’s world can be done in harmony with nature.

STEPS, a documentary and action film, dives into the world of people whose deep connection to the mountains ties them together. Worried about impending climate change, they are looking for an alternative way to pursue their passion in harmony with nature and experience the mountains in an ecologically sustainable way. Instead of flying around the world in pursuit of snow, they explore the Alps at their doorstep. They travel using public transportation and climb the highest, most impressive peaks on their own before beginning their spectacular descents and jumps. Despite all of their efforts, they reach their limits and realize the real paradox existing in doing winter sports in harmony with nature.

During filming, great care was taken to limit CO2 emissions to an absolute minimum. Flights, helicopters, and snowmobiles were never used. Flyover shots were accomplished in a carbon neutral way with the use of paragliders. With the film STEPS, RIDE GREENER and Coupdoeil Films want to show today’s film industry, as well as the snowboard and ski scene, that it’s possible to get spectacular winter footage without having a negative environmental impact. After all, it’s in the best interest of every snowboarder and skier to mitigate impending climate change since it so greatly threatens their own playground—the mountains.

CINEMATOGRAPHY COUPDOEIL PRODUCED BY RIDE GREENER DIRECTED BY COUPDOEIL

Carbon emissions of the film production: 1.85 t CO2. (In comparison: the average annual CO2 emissions of a European run between 9 and 11 tons of CO2. The average production of a winter sports film runs between 50-60 tons CO2.)

Producer:RIDEGREENER: The non-profit organization RIDE GREENER shows interested winter sports enthusiasts how to easily reduce their CO2-footprint while snowboarding and skiing. The environmental and climate education campaign was founded in the fall of 2011 by passionate Swiss snowboarders with the purpose of familiarizing young winter sports enthusiasts with environmental issues related to global warming.www.ridegreener.com

Filmmaker:COUPDOEIL is a small film production studio located in the heart of Bern. The two founders, the historian Hermann Stephan and the ethnologist Philipp Eyer, create film portraits that explore the desires and motivations at the base of human existence. Or, in the case of the film project STEPS, at the peak.